Lecture by Erlend Blakstad Haffner 25.6

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Created: Tuesday, 23 June 2015 22:32

Scandinavian Corner and design incubator Nova Iskra have the pleasure to present a lecture by Erlend Blakstad Haffner, an architect and cofounder of Fantastic Norway, an architectural studio engaged in building design, mobilization and participation processes and development strategies. This special appearance is organized and realized within the project Nordic reading Corner, which is financially supported by the Royal Norwegian Embassy in Belgrade.

Fantastic Norwaywas founded by Håkon Matre Aasarød and Erlend Blakstad Haffner in 2003. In the next 10 years, the architectural studio was engaged in building design, mobilization and participation processes, development strategies, writing and television production. The primary ambition of the studio was to create an open, inclusive and socially aware architectural practice and by that contribute to re-establishing the role of the architect as an active participant in – and also a builder of society. Fantastic Norway’s credo was: Every town is different; every place is in some way fantastic. We aim to embrace this fact and through dialogue transform it into architecture.

The heart and soul of the studio was a bright red caravan. Combined with media coverage and a variety of essays in the local newspaper, the caravan functioned as a meeting point and a mobile platform for architectural discussions, debates and workshops. Fantastic Norway gathered ideas, suggestions and stories from the communities they worked in and utilized this collected knowledge in the design process. This inclusive way of designing anchored their projects locally and created a personal relationship between the proposed architecture and the people affected by it. After 10 exciting years of fantastic adventures, the caravan was finally parked in December 2013.

Erlend Blakstad Haffneris an optimistic architect of cooperation. He is engaged with building design, development strategies, cooperative design, mobilization processes, teaching and television production. Currently his main focus is the work with the Utøya Island. The project on Utøya is developed in close collaboration with the labor youth organisation and the victims of the massacre. Erlend is the project manager and responsible architect of a new youth camp.

In his lecture titled Building dialogue Erlend Blakstad Haffner will talk about his experience with using dialogue to engage people in their surroundings, as well as the process on working on the challenging Utøya project (http://www.fantasticnorway.no/?portfolio=xxx), dealing with the island on which the infamous massacre took place in 2011, leaving 77 people dead.

The lectureBuilding dialogueby Erlend Blakstad Haffner will be held at Nova Iskra on Thursday, June 25th at 5.30 PM. Entrance is free. The lecture will be held in English.